Copyright

Earlier in my career, I signed on with a print company who asked for exclusive rights as well as the copyrights on the work that I did for them. I was so happy to have work, that I willingly signed on the dotted line......for five years. Granted, the work is schmaltzy......cutesy.....whatever....that is the nature of mass printing. The company was successful and growing. I received a paltry percentage. In fact, 4 of my prints were featured one season in the Spiegel catalogue for $49.95 each. I received less than $100 from that exposure. The company is now bankrupt. My prints are all over the internet, on stitcheries and on puzzles. I have even seen them on the Baghdad Museum website. I receive nothing. I suspect that the income generated from my prints, and the prints of many other artists, is being used to pay off the company's creditors. I certainly sent in all of the claim forms to the courts in that state, but am doubtful that the outcome will represent any positive income for me and my family. So, I guess that the moral of this story is NEVER NEVER EVER GIVE UP YOUR COPYRIGHTS.